The businesses, including Wates, Costain and the Considerate Constructors Scheme, are built environment partners to the Prince’s Trust.

By raising £1m, the businesses hope to help more than 1,000 disadvantaged people.

James Wates, chairman of The Prince’s Trust Built Environment Leadership Group, called on other companies to join the challenge.

”The Million Pound Challenge is an ambitious and exciting project. We hope to raise a million pounds in a year but we still need many more companies to take part in this collaboration. A target isn’t worth setting if it’s too easy to achieve, and we definitely won’t achieve our million pound target without the support of many more in the sector.”

“There are still three quarters of a million young people who are out of work in this country and there are far too many young people who leave school without any qualifications. The need is great, we must do more. And, collectively, we can do more.”

Ben Marson, director of corporate partnerships at The Prince’s Trust said: “For 40 years now, we have supported over 825,000 disadvantaged young people across the United Kingdom, to gain the self-belief and skills they need to create a future that they deserve.

”The only thing that stops us helping more young people is the funding to do it. We are very grateful to our partners who have already signed up to the challenge and we hope many more will join them.”

One young person to have been supported by the charity, is Derin Ade-Ojo, who is now an apprentice at Engie.

Speaking at a launch event for the Million Pound Challenge, she said: “Getting in touch with The Prince’s Trust literally changed my life. I don’t know where I would be today without the help of The Trust and the support of its partners. And I probably would have never imagined that I could work in the Built Environment sector. I now feel extremely confident about the future and can’t wait to see what the next step will be.”

The Built Environment Leadership Group is a collaboration of Prince’s Trust corporate partners which has changed the lives of over 6,000 young people since 2005, helping them find work.

Other partners include Balfour Beatty, ISS, Engie, Rydon, Systech and UPP. 

Other companies wishing to take part should contact Tom Halliley at The Prince’s Trust at tom.halliley@princes-trust.org.uk or on +44 (0) 2075347428.